Already Home
by XxTsuki-chan13xX
Summary: Kuroko and Kagami were happier than they had ever been and their relationship had never been stronger. Their life together comes to a halt when Kagami receives a job offer in America. With a new man in his life, what will Kuroko do when Kagami returns to Japan?
1. Chapter 1

The sky was bathed in the red and gold rays of the setting sun. Kuroko was sitting blissfully in Kagami's lap, the taller man's legs on either side of him. The view from the balcony of apartment 413 was something the couple was very familiar with. The wind caught Kuroko's powder blue hair. It had a calming effect on him. Kuroko was once again grateful that Kagami had a place of his own. Having a place with guaranteed privacy was nice.

The bluenette was nibbling a piece of the watermelon that he sliced for them. He tilted his head back to look at Kagami's face. The redhead's crimson eyes were staring intently into Kuroko's blue ones. The smaller man lifted up a watermelon chunk to Kagami's lips, his eyes asking_, "Do you want some?" _ Kagami smirked and allowed Kuroko to feed him the fruit, not missing the chance lick at his fingers. Kuroko snatched his hand back in embarrassment, scolding Kagami. The redhead just laughed, completely unabashed. "I thought that you were offering yourself too. Was I wrong?"

Kuroko snorted at Kagami's explanation. "I would say so." The smaller man's scolding was proven to be halfhearted as reached up to kiss the redhead. Kagami leaned in to kiss him back. Kuroko would always lose himself when he was kissing Kagami. Today, the redhead had the sweet taste of watermelon and lemon lime soda on his lips. It was exceptionally addicting.

Without breaking the kiss, Kuroko turned in Kagami's lap to face him, wrapping his legs around the redhead's muscular torso. Kagami secured one hand at Kuroko's waist, teasing the exposed skin near the hem of his shirt. The other was at the back of Kuroko's head, deepening the kiss. In the midst of their moment of passion, Kuroko noticed that something was different. Surprisingly, Kagami was never the type to rush a kiss. He made a special effort to savor being with Kuroko, usually staying in control of himself. Today, he wasn't anything like that. The kiss was a little too eager, almost frantic. Kagami was kissing him as if he was trying to commit the feeling to memory. The familiar sensation of the redhead's tongue exploring every corner of his mouth was definitely pleasing but Kuroko could tell that something was weighing on Kagami's mind.

The smaller man finally broke the kiss, dizzy and breathless. Kagami was undeterred as he refocused his attack on Kuroko's neck. Kuroko gasped and a shiver ran down his spine when Kagami sucked hard at the sweet spot on his collar-bone. He clutched at Kagami's shoulders and tilted his head to give him better access. Kuroko's thoughts were hazy but he knew he had to focus. If he let Kagami have his way, Kuroko would never get a chance to ask the redhead what was bothering him.

"Kagami…" the smaller man began. He cursed how needy his voice sounded. It sounded more like encouragement than an attempt to get the other man's attention. "K-Kagami, hold on a sec," Kuroko tried again. Kagami stopped his onslaught but his lips never really left Kuroko's neck. "What's wrong Kuroko?" Kagami pouted a little at the smaller man's slight protest. "You worried about the neighbors? Anyone who can actually see us from here doesn't care what we do. I promise."

Kuroko's face flushed. He hadn't given any thought to them being seen. His powder blue hair ruffled when he shook his head. "That's not it. Is something bothering you, Kagami?" The redhead's red eyes hardened marginally but Kuroko saw it. "So there is something wrong." The smaller man confirmed. "What makes you say that?" Kagami muttered. Kuroko narrowed his eyes, clearly annoyed. Knowing how persistent his companion could be the redhead gave up trying to deny that something was wrong.

With one last peck, Kagami straightened and looked down at Kuroko. The smaller man was unnerved by the way that Kagami wouldn't meet his eyes. Kuroko slowly reached out and cupped the redhead's cheek. Kagami had often done this when the smaller man was upset about something. The corner of the taller man's mouth quirked up at the familiarity of the gesture, but the smile quickly faded.

Kuroko could feel his stomach start to knot. Whatever was bothering Kagami had to be really serious for him to act this way. Kuroko steeled his nerves and tried to coax the redhead into telling him what the problem was. "What's wrong, Taiga? You know that you can tell me anything." Kagami was still looking off to the side, chewing his lip anxiously. He was obviously debating if he should really tell Kuroko what was wrong or if he should keep quiet.

Kuroko reached out to cup the redhead's other cheek as well. "Please look at me, Kagami." Kagami took both of Kuroko's slender hands into his large ones and finally met his eyes. His expression was somewhat pained. Kagami took in a deep, shaky breath before he began to speak.

"Tetsuya, you know that I love you more than anything, right?" Kuroko nodded silently. Kagami continued tentatively. "You know the promotion that I've been waiting for? The fire chief offered me a better position and I decided to take it." Kuroko's reaction was subdued. "That's a supposed to be a good thing, isn't it?" The smaller man asked. "What's the catch?"

Kagami swallowed as he braced himself for the heart of the matter. "In order to take this new job I'd have to transfer." Kuroko's anxiety was at its peak when he asked, "Where would you have to go?" The redhead sighed and said in a voice barely above a whisper, "California." Kagami felt Kuroko's body stiffen in his lap.

"You would have to go back to America?" Kuroko echoed. Kagami nodded. "Do you know how long you would be gone?" the smaller man asked nervously. Kagami felt uneasy answering Kuroko's question when he saw the man's calm mask begin to slip. "I would have to work at that branch for a minimum of five years before I could transfer again."

The bluenette sat for a moment, lost in thought. "That's…a really long time for you to be coming and going." Kuroko said measuredly. Kagami nodded once. "So what you're telling me is that as far as our relationship goes we only have two options: try the long distance route or break up." Kuroko said bluntly. Kagami didn't answer right away. The sun had set a while ago. The only light was from the soft glow of a lantern and the stars above. Kuroko waited with bated breath for Kagami's response. "I've already taken the job and set up living arrangements there. I don't want to break up but I don't know what to do."

Kagami's announcement hit Kuroko hard. He didn't want to imagine Kagami ripped out of his life entirely for five whole years. The smaller man-made an immense effort to keep himself together. He couldn't cry now. He didn't want to make things any harder for Kagami. This was a once in a lifetime chance for the redhead. There wasn't a lot that Kagami cared about other than basketball but his job was definitely near the top of the list.

"When would you have to leave?" Kuroko asked softly. "In three months," Kagami answered quietly. Kuroko wasn't exactly sure when he started crying but before he knew it, tears were flooding down his face. Kagami pulled Kuroko into his embrace with crushing force. The smaller man's body was wracked the sorrow. Kuroko could hear him softly chanting "I'm so sorry" and "I love you, baby" over and over like a mantra.

After Kuroko had calmed down a bit and the crying had died down to the occasional sob, Kagami began to speak softly. "I know that this is hard for you. Believe me I've wrestled with this for months. If I can rise in the ranks I'll be able to take care of you the way you deserve to be taken care of." Face still buried in Kagami's neck, Kuroko protested. "I don't need anybody take care of me." Kagami hushed him. "I know you don't, Tetsuya. Just hear me out, okay?" Kuroko nodded, refusing to lift his face from the crook of the redhead's neck.

"This is just something that I have to do. How can I truly call myself a man if I can't protect and provide for the people I love? Whether they need protecting or not doesn't matter. I know that five years is a long time so I'm not gonna ask you to wait for me." Kuroko bolted upright at that. "Of course I'll wait for you!" the smaller man declared. Kagami gave him a sad smile and shook his head. "We're still young, Kuroko. You're still in school to become a teacher. These are supposed to be some of the best years of your life. I couldn't live with myself knowing that I forced you to throw them all away because you were waiting for me to come back."

Kagami held up a hand to keep Kuroko from interrupting him. "I can't say that I like the idea of you being with somebody else but you have the freedom to be with whoever you want. It doesn't matter anyway. The second I come back, I'll make you fall for me all over again," the redhead said with a slight smirk, "I just want you to be happy, Kuroko."

Kuroko thought for a moment before he spoke. He looked Kagami straight in the eyes, wearing the most serious expression that the redhead had ever seen him make. "I'll never love anybody as much as I love you, Kagami." Kagami leaned down and kissed Kuroko's tear-stained face. The pair remained in each other's warm embrace, savoring their limited time together under the stars.

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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Reviews would be greatly appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

Kuroko and Kagami lay peacefully together in bed, still half asleep. The sun peeking through the blinds gave enough light to tell them that they would both have to get up for work soon. Kuroko fought for a few more minutes of sleep. He turned from window and buried his face into the red head's neck. The bluenette used Kagami's chest as a pillow. Kagami instinctively wrapped an arm around the smaller man's waist, drawing him closer.

Because the redhead was shirtless, Kuroko could clearly feel the heat radiating from his body. He was enveloped by a pair of strong arms, pressed flush against toned abs, and secretly wished that they would never let him go. Kuroko took in a slow, deep breath and was met with the scent of a pleasant cologne. The smaller man froze at this realization…Kagami would never bother putting on cologne.

The bluenette's eyes snapped open, realizing that he was just a victim of a cruel dream. It was true that Kuroko was in bed and he wasn't alone. However, Kagami wasn't the man beside him. His tanned, toned arms were lovingly around Kuroko. The man's dark blue hair was enticing and disheveled. His mouth hung slightly open as he snored lightly. This was Aomine Daiki, Kuroko's current boyfriend.

Kuroko bolted upright and immediately felt guilty about his dream. He decided that now would be a good a time as any to get out of bed. Sleeping peacefully was no longer an option. Kuroko shifted and shimmied out of bed so he wouldn't wake up Aomine. Before leaving the taller man's bedroom, Kuroko turned around and affectionately watched him sleep. Aomine had plenty of space to sprawl out in his own bed but Kuroko couldn't help but smirk when he thought about how the man's legs almost dangled over the edge of his.

Kuroko made his way to the kitchen, firing up the coffee maker. The aroma of the coffee beans made it truly feel like it was morning. The petite man was fully awake now and couldn't ignore the pangs in his chest because of his dream. Kuroko's train of thought derailed when he felt a familiar pair of arms snake their way around him from behind.

Aomine leaned down and nestled his face in Kuroko's soft, sky blue hair. "Mornin', Tetsu," he said in a raspy voice still tinged with sleep. Kuroko smiled softly, "Good morning, Aomine-kun. I didn't hear you get out of bed." Aomine chuckled. "You're one to talk about not being noticed." Aomine let his large hands roam Kuroko's torso. His tanned hands traced patterns over Kuroko's fair skin.

Kuroko stiffened at his lover's touch. His stomach began to knot as the image of a certain redhead drifted back into his mind. "Come on, Aomine-kun, don't you think it's too early for this kind of thing?" The navy haired man couldn't disagree more. "Of course not," he murmured while kissing at the sweet spot on Kuroko's neck, "it's never too early for sex."

"You horny bastard," Kuroko scolded. If there was one difference between Kagami and Aomine it would definitely be aggressiveness. Aomine was not the type of man who would be easily deterred by his partner when he wanted to have sex. Kagami enjoyed sex of course, but he still liked cuddling and simply being close to Kuroko.

When the smaller man felt something poking him in the back and Aomine's hands beginning to dip below the waistband of his boxers, Kuroko twisted away from him. Aomine clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Don't be such a tease, Tetsu." Kuroko smiled fondly at Aomine's whining. "You know I have to work today. You're not exactly the gentlest person in the world when we do it."

Aomine sighed but accepted Kuroko's excuse. "Fine, but you owe me later," the bluenette said suggestively. Relieved that he escaped successfully, Kuroko said, "Sure thing." The smaller man allowed Aomine to draw him in close once more. He leaned in and planted a long, slow kiss on Kuroko. The guilt was beginning to eat the smaller man alive.

Aomine broke the kiss and looked down at Kuroko like he was the greatest treasure the world had to offer. "I love you, Tetsu." He said with a smile that would put prince charming to shame. Kuroko felt like a knife was twisting into his heart because of the second of hesitation he had before saying it back. "I love you too, Daiki." The navy haired man's grin broadened, blissfully unaware of Kuroko's lingering feelings for another man.

Later that day, Kuroko was standing in the playground with his kindergarten class. The kids were running, playing, and laughing around him, waiting for their parents to pick them up. Kuroko liked kids. He appreciated their honesty and directness. He was ecstatic when his students took to him almost immediately.

_Aomine should be coming by soon,_ Kuroko thought idly. Aomine was a police officer and made rounds in the neighborhood. Kuroko had developed the ability to lose himself in thought like this and still keep a watchful eye over his students. When a blonde haired man strolled up to him, inches away from his face, Kuroko was startled to say the least.

"Hi, Kurokocchi! Is something the matter? You had such a serious look on your face." Kuroko sighed. "Hello, Kise-kun," he said as he pushed the blonde's face away from his. A little blonde girl came running up to them. Kise's face lit up. "Yumi-chan!" "Uncle Kise!" she called back, leaping into his arms.

Kuroko chuckled. "You sure do love your niece, Kise-kun. What modeling job are you neglecting to come here today?" The blonde man, unaffected by the comment, shrugged casually. "I got permission from my manager to come here," he said beaming with pride. Kise took his job seriously and was good at it but it didn't take much for him to play hooky when he wasn't needed. "Has Aominecchi come by today?" Kise asked hopefully, his niece fidgeting in his grasp. Aomine was the one who introduced Kise to Kuroko. They had been close friends since middle school.

Kuroko shook his head. "Aomine should be here soon. You haven't missed him." Kise's face broke out into a stupid grin. Suddenly, his goofy expression shifted to confusion. "Hey, Kurokocchi. Who's that?" He said, pointing to something behind Kuroko.

Kuroko turned around and his heart almost stopped. A tall man was walking up to the gate with a muscular build, crimson colored eyes, red hair, and a sheepish grin. The rest of the world seemed to fall away as Kuroko stumbled over to the gate. Kuroko could feel his eyes tear up when he saw the man's face. He could barely manage to say the man's name. "Kagami."

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**Sorry if this chapter is full of mistakes! I didn't have a beta this time around. Thank you for reading and reviewing!** **More Kagami in the next chapter! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

The air surrounding Kuroko and Kagami grew heavier by the second. Kuroko started searching Kagami's face. He wasn't sure what he was looking for exactly. Maybe some king of sign that the man standing in front of him was real. Seeing the increasingly panicked look on the school teacher's face, the redhead slowly reached out and took Kuroko's hands in his own. "Hey, Kuroko," Kagami said softly. It was almost as if he were talking to an animal that he didn't want to scare away. "Can we talk for a bit?"

He gestured to the latch on the gate between them. Kuroko took note of how much Kagami had grown. The redhead was so tall that the gate didn't quite reach his chest. He was definitely more muscular than the last time they were together. Kuroko fumbled with the latch, his heart racing a mile a minute. Unable to wait another second, Kagami reached out, caught the bluenette under the arms and hoisted him over the gate.

Kuroko kicked his legs around, flustered by the sudden contact and being treated like a child. The redhead set his former lover down in front of him. His hand never left Kuroko's body as they settled on his hips. Face to face with the source of the greatest happiness and the greatest pain he had ever felt, Kuroko's eyes brimmed with tears. Kagami leaned in and kissed Kuroko's forehead then softly whispered, "I'm back, Tetsuya. Just like I promised."

Before Kuroko could respond, he heard Kise clear his throat behind them. The smaller man turned to see the blonde with a raised eyebrow and a questioning look on his face. Realizing where they were, Kuroko broke away. "We shouldn't do this here," Kagami said. He fished a scrap of paper from his pocket and scrawled his information on it. "I hope to see you soon, Tetsuya." Kagami said with a shy smile. The smaller man was too stunned to move as he watched the redhead walk away.

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Kuroko nervously approached the meeting place he and Kagami had agreed upon. The park was a neutral location. There would at least be a few other people around and he could bail anytime he felt like it. Kuroko spotted Kagami from a distance. The redhead was waiting by the water fountain looking as nervous as Kuroko felt. The straight faced man convinced himself that the only reason he came to meet Kagami was to move on. He was tired of being haunted by memories of their life together.

'If I see him one more time, I'll be able to move on with Aomine for sure,' Kuroko thought to himself. He felt guilty not being totally honest with his boyfriend about his evening plans, but, Kuroko was on a mission to bury any feelings he had left for Kagami. Aomine was probably out on the town with Kise anyway, right?

"Kuroko!" Kagami called out as he jogged over to the smaller man. Kuroko swore under his breath. It was too late to back out now. "Hello, Kagami-kun," the bluenette said with a level tone. He wasn't sure what he should do now that he was face to face with the former love of his life.

"I'm really sorry about earlier, "Kagami said looking off to the side, scratching his head in embarrassment. "It was probably a bad idea to come see you while you were still at work but I just wanted to see you the second a got back and I…I'm rambling aren't I?" A shadow of a smile passed over Kuroko's face. "Hmph, same old Bakagami," the blue-haired man teased. Kagami flashed a goofy grin. Kuroko tensed as he felt his heart leap. A nagging little thought in the back of his mind warned him not to get too close to Kagami. Kuroko chose to ignore it.

"Wanna take a walk with me?" Kagami offered. Kuroko nodded in agreement, falling in step beside him as they began their stroll. It was a nice spring evening. The cherry blossoms would soon be in bloom. It was almost sunset so there weren't many people around. The pair were free to do as they pleased without interruption. They kept the conversation light. Kagami recounted his adventures in America, Kuroko gave an update on his life in Kagami's absence.

The voice in the back of Kuroko's head got a bit louder. The longer he talked to Kagami, the more old feelings threatened to overtake him. Each time the redhead made him smile or laugh, he slipped closer and closer to the danger zone. The scariest part was that Kuroko was falling for the Kagami right in front of him, not the boy from his memories. The bluenette was expecting to get closure from the thought of the Kagami he knew no longer existing. However, he didn't count on an even better version taking his place.

Kuroko took a deep breath and tried to keep in mind why he came here in the first place. "I'm seeing someone now," Kuroko said quietly. Kagami eyes darkened for a moment but he didn't say anything. The smaller man continued, trying to drive his point home. "We've been together for a little over a year. I guess you could say it's pretty serious."

Kagami stopped walking. Kuroko's stomach was in knots waiting for his reaction. The taller man took in a shaky breath and looked down at Kuroko. "I figured as much. You're one hell of a catch. I didn't expect someone like you to be single for long." Kuroko could feel his heart tighten at how pained Kagami sounded. "Do you remember what I told you before I left? 'The second I come back, I'll make you fall for me all over again.' If I think there's even the slightest chance of getting you back, I'm gonna try." Kagami cupped Kuroko's hands in his own and looked into his eyes. "Tell me. Are you happy, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko's face was on fire. It always was every time Kagami called his name. He could hear the love and passion behind it. Kuroko knew that the redhead treasured him like no one else could. The bluenette could feel his world turn upside down when he came to a realization…he felt the same way about Kagami.

Regardless of how he felt, Kuroko wasn't about to abandon Aomine. "I'm happy," Kuroko murmured, finding a spot on the ground particularly interesting to look at. "You're lying," Kagami said immediately. "I'm not, Taiga!" All the anger Kuroko had bottled up towards his former lover started to spill out. "You've got no right to tell me how I feel. We haven't spoken in years. Aomine was there to put me back together but you were the one who broke me!" he jerked away from Kagami angrily.

Kagami slowly put his arms around the shorter man. Kuroko couldn't deny how good it felt to be held by Kagami so he didn't resist. His anger slowly drained away as he breathed in Kagami's scent. Kuroko was irritated that he still fit against the redhead like a puzzle piece. His face buried in the taller man's chest, Kagami's arm loosely wrapped around his waist. Kagami lightly stroked Kuroko's sky blue hair to calm him down.

"Stop it, Taiga," Kuroko said tiredly. Kagami ignored him. "Do you know what I've been doing all this time? I've been working hard to make my way back to you. I'm serious when I say that I love you even more now than I did back then. All I'm asking is for the chance to fix this, to fix _us._" Kagami tilted Kuroko's chin up so they would be face to face. Their lips were dangerously close. "Please, Tetsuya?"

At that moment Kuroko felt his resolve snap. Kuroko could feel the heat of Kagami's breath. He whispered "Taiga" before closing the distance between them. The kiss they shared was feverish, passionate and desperate. It was as if the two were trying to make up for the time they lost with this one kiss. Kagami licked at Kuroko's lips, seeking permission for entrance. Kuroko welcomed him in without a moment's hesitation.

The smaller man gasped when Kagami nudged a knee between his thighs. He couldn't help bucking his hips, craving more. Without breaking the kiss, the redhead picked him up and pinned him to a nearby tree. Kuroko wrapped his legs around Kagami's waist and grinded down, rubbing their groins together. This elicited a guttural moan from Kagami that sent a shiver up the smaller man's spine. Kagami broke away to refocus his attack, peppering kisses on Kuroko's neck and collarbone. Kuroko's eyes fluttered closed as he tilted his head back to give the redhead better access. The bluenette couldn't think of anything else but the feel of Kagami's hands easing under his shirt, rememorizing his body. He was lost in a haze of pleasure until a familiar voice pierced through it.

"What the fuck is going on here!?" Kuroko's eyes snap open to see Aomine standing there. There were no question about it. He was pissed. Kagami put Kuroko down as the dark skinned man stormed over to them. Kuroko was hit hard by the reality of what he had just done and how far he would've gone if he boyfriend hadn't shown up. "Aomine, please wait-"he began. Aomine obviously wasn't interested in excuses as pushed past Kuroko and clocked Kagami in the jaw.

He took a few stunned steps backward but the firefighter landed a punch of his own. Kuroko jumped between the two before it could turn into an all-out brawl. He put his hands out in an attempt to hold Aomine back. "Hold on a second, Aomine-kun! If you're going to be mad at anyone it should be me not Kagami-kun. This was my fault." Kagami was about to speak up, but Aomine wasn't having it. "Stay out of this, asshole," he hissed. "What the hell is this? I thought I'd surprise you and come pick you up but I find you dry humping some guy in the park!" Kuroko flinched as if Aomine's words had hurt him physically. The navy haired man's eyes widened in recognition as his eyes rested on Kagami.

"It's you. You're that bastard who went to America, aren't you? Who the hell do you think you are-" Kuroko stopped him from saying anything more. "Enough, Daiki! I already said that this was my fault!" Aomine turned to his boyfriend, ready to lash out but he decided against it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You must be a real masochist, Tetsu." The navy haired man's voice trembled with rage. "I can't even talk to you right now without saying something that I'll regret. I'll see you later." Aomine took off without another word. Kuroko didn't have the nerve to follow him.

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Later that night, Aomine found himself in Kise's apartment. The whole place was as stylish and luxurious as one would expect of Kise Ryouta. None of that mattered to the navy haired man currently downing beers one after the other. Kise joined Aomine at the dining room table with a worried expression on his face. The blonde was waiting with bated breath. Aomine had barged into his place with such a stormy expression. Truth be told, Kise was a little afraid to hear what had happened.

With one last swig of booze, Aomine laced his fingers over the top of the can, clearly thinking hard about what he wanted to say. "You remember the bastard Tetsu was so in love with before he met me? The one who went to America and left him so messed up? Kise nodded silently. "He's back in town." he said flatly.

Kise wouldn't be surprised if it was the firefighter guy from earlier. Kuroko had one hell of a reaction when he saw him at the school. Aomine continued bitterly. "Tetsu's still in love with him. He's back one damn day and everything's already starting to go to hell." "Now wait just a minute, Aominecchi," Kise interrupted. "Kurokocchi was in a really bad place after this guy left, right? It's only natural that he'd react to seeing him again. That doesn't mean that Kuroko still in love with him." Aomine snorted at that. The dark skinned man finally lifted his head and looked Kise in the eye. "Oh yeah?" he said in a challenging tone. "Then explain why I saw him and Tetsu tonguing in the park today."

The gravity of the situation hit Kise like a ton of bricks. The blonde smacked his forehead, dragging a hand down his face. He could clearly see how vulnerable Aomine was at the moment. Carefully choosing his next words was vital. "Daiki… I know that Kuroko hurt you. I'm sure he's really confused right now but I don't think that it's all over. I know that Kurokocchi loves you, regardless of what he feels for this other guy. Kuroko's not stupid so I know that he wouldn't let someone like you just slip through his fingers." Kise paused for a moment. "But if you're really done with him though, you know I'm always available," he said playfully.

Aomine let out a short laugh. "I don't know what you see in me, Ryouta. People say that I'm a blunt, self-centered jackass, that doesn't care about anything but getting into somebody's pants. Maybe they're right. Even Satsuki says that I always think with the wrong head." Kise slammed his hands on the table and stood up. "You're wrong!" he shouted. Aomine was stunned to silence by the blonde's outburst. After an awkward silence, the heat of the moment cooled but Kise's expression was serious. "You're wrong. The Aominecchi that I know isn't really like that. You're passionate, strong willed, and honest and a lot of fun to be around…" Beginning to feel embarrassed, Kise trailed off.

Aomine wracked his brain in an attempt to piece together what the blonde was trying to say. Kise's golden eyes began to brim with tears. Feeling panicked by the sudden change in Kise's mood, the navy haired man stood up and reached out to him. Kise placed a hand on Aomine's chest to stop him. He shook his head as if to clear it and lowered his eyes. "Let me finish, ok?" Aomine nodded in agreement.

"I've known you for years, Daiki. From the first day we met, I've always admired you. That's why I can't stand hearing you bad-mouth yourself. People who say that you don't care about anything, have no idea what they're talking about. When you say you love something you put your whole heart into it. I didn't say anything when I found out how serious you were about Kurokocchi, but I can't hide it anymore." Kise raised his head to look at Aomine, his eyes shining with tears that threatened to fall. "I love you, Daiki."

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I'm a college student and my schedule makes it a little harder for me to update. Your lovely reviews really keep me going. I hope you enjoyed this!**


	4. Chapter 4

Kuroko's hand trembled as he knocked on the door to Aomine's place. Although the key to the apartment rested in his pocket, he felt that he no longer had the right to use it. A little over a week had passed since that night in the park but hadn't slept much since. Kuroko had attempted to come over the next day but the navy haired man had yet to return home. He was almost sure that Aomine's phone would explode from the flood of texts and calls. Not a single message had received a reply.

Kuroko wouldn't dare claim that his boyfriend's actions were unjustified. There was no denying who the guilty party was. However, the usually calm man's head was mess. His thoughts were tangled and knotted up like cords. Although he was unsure about where to go with his relationship with Kagami, not smoothing things over with Aomine would be unforgivable. He had to at least try.

The door opened slowly. Aomine stood in the doorway, stone faced. His mouth was set in a hard line, jaw tight as he stared down at his "boyfriend". Aomine's expression was cold but his eyes were fierce like burning sapphires. Being on the receiving end when Aomine glared daggers was nothing new. He was a moody individual after all. But this was like being pierced by a knife and having the blade break off inside your chest.

The larger man crossed his arms but didn't say anything, never breaking eye contact. It was obvious that Kuroko was going to have to start up the conversation. Coming face to face with Aomine made the apology speech that he had come up with over the past few days fly out of his head. Instead, all that came out of his mouth was, "hey."

Aomine raised an eyebrow. "Why are you here? You obviously have somewhere else you'd rather be."

Kuroko had been prepared for at least this much. The man had a damn good reason to be cold. He'd always had a sharp tongue anyway. "I need to talk to you. Can I come in?" Kuroko asked gently. Aomine had a distrustful look in his eyes but he jerked his head toward the living room. The smaller man squeezed past him. Aomine shut the door and followed. It was bizarre for the apartment that Kuroko had spent so much time in felt so foreign after such a short time.

Aomine sunk down onto the couch. He laced his fingers together and rested his chin on this hands. Aomine's midnight blue eyes looked so distant. It was as if he was watching life as he knew it dissolve and dissipate. Kuroko's heart ached for the dark-skinned man before him.

"Aomine-kun," Kuroko said softly. No response. The smaller man made his way over to his crestfallen lover. He got down on his knees, taking Aomine's hand into his own. Kuroko took it as a good sign that the larger man allowed him to do so.

"I would never do something just to hurt you. You're important to me and I take our relationship seriously."

Aomine's eyes rested on Kuroko's face. He was listening, but remained silent. Kuroko continued on.

"I know that I messed up. That…that thing that happened with Kagami in the park… it was a moment of weakness and it'll never happen again. I really love you Daiki. I just need a second chance to prove it. "

Aomine let out an irritated sigh. "Tell me what it is that I did wrong, Tetsu. There has to be something you get from him that you're not getting from me. Was I moving too fast for you? Not fast enough?"

"Aomine…"

The dark skinned man continued as if he wasn't interrupted, his voice rising. Is this about sex? Am I working too much? Do you feel neglected or something?"

Kuroko hadn't expected the conversation to turn sour this fast. He was getting anxious. "No. It's not like that. Please stop…"

Aomine's eyes widened as a new thought had crossed his mind. There was venom in his voice when he asked, "Have you been playing me the whole time?"

The smaller man dropped Aomine's hands, his face twisted in disgust. "What are you saying? I'd never do that." Kuroko was blatantly horrified that Aomine would even ask him that. He could tell that his lover believed that at least but he didn't look reassured. Kuroko stood up and faced away from the dark skinned man in an attempt to regain his composure.

"You're still in love with that guy."

It wasn't a question. Aomine's flat tone conveyed his certainty. Kuroko wasn't sure what it would take to shake Aomine's doubt. He did know that he didn't have it in him to prove his boyfriend wrong. The night in the park awakened a part of Kuroko that he'd thought was lost a long time ago. It was fiery and exciting. The feelings that he had for Aomine felt cool and steady. Kuroko could move at the dark skinned man's pace and feel safe in the relationship. Everything was _o_k. But was it enough to just be _ok_?

Kuroko didn't turn around to face Aomine. He just stood there clutching his arms and examining the floor. '_This man has treated me too well to just throw him away.' _Kuroko thought to himself. "What are you talking about? I just got confused for a bit, Daiki. I'm with you now. I don't love Kagami."

Aomine flinched at the use of his first name. His tone became more insistent. "Well I think you do," Aomine accused, slowly rising to his feet. "You're not the type to play around with stuff like this." Kuroko was becoming agitated. What more could he say to convince him? He turned to face Aomine, looking him in the eye.

"I already told you that I don't," Kuroko declared, clenching his fists.

"You do."

"I don't!"

"Tetsuya!"

Kuroko fell silent. Navy blue eyes narrowed in challenge. Kuroko's sky blue ones were shining as if he were about to cry. Neither of the two said anything for a while. The TV was turned off so there was no background noise. It was quiet enough to hear clock ticking on the wall and the apartment settling. The emptiness left by the lack of sound tingled in their ears.

When Aomine finally spoke, his voice came out hoarse and tight. "Don't make a fool out of me. I knew you still loved him from the very beginning. It only hurts more seeing cry trying to deny it. I just held out hope that I could get you to love me more."

The taller man's brow furrowed, wrestling with what to say next. He raked a hand through his midnight blue hair and let out a shaky breath. "I don't know if I can keep doing this, Tetsu. It's one thing to compete with an old memory. It's different when the guy is right in front of you." He hesitated again, gnawing at his lip. The pain Aomine felt was audible when he said, " I think we should take a break."

He finally said it. The words Kuroko never wanted to hear. He was getting flashbacks of that day five years ago. Things were falling apart again.

"Do you really mean that?"

Aomine nodded. "I'll send you your stuff later so, can you leave for today?

Kuroko's whole body felt numb. He stared blankly for a bit before he shuffled his way out of the apartment. The sound of the lock clicking behind him had an air of finality that made him sick.


End file.
